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Original poster

Girls can't do maths !

192 replies

Keepo · 05/02/2010 15:55

My dd (10) loves maths. However, she is now the only girl in top set for maths in her class. All of her friends tell her that she cannot be good at maths because she is a girl . The other boys tell her the same.

This week they had a maths enrichment lesson and only the boys in her set got to go. I went to talk to her teacher about this and she told me she assumed that dd would not want to go. I asked why and she said "well I thought english might be more her thing she is a girl". . Am I alone in finding this odd. This attitude is starting to grind dd down.

Are all schools like this about girls and maths ? To be fair it does seem to have only come up this year.

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edam · 08/02/2010 14:38

Glad to hear the head took it seriously, keepo. And that dd is determined to prove this batty teacher wrong!

madwomanintheattic · 08/02/2010 15:05

i am dorky and a geek lol. to deflect attention from this i wore black and went to anthrax concerts. this is possibly something you don't want to encourage in your dd

fantastic that the ht called back and is dealing with this. and even better news that dd is fighting mad to prove her worth

SpeedyGonzalez · 08/02/2010 15:07

Well, what I meant was did you complain to the teacher first before taking your complaint to the head? Your OP doesn't indicate this, it just sounds like you asked the teacher about the situation but didn't actually try to resolve it with her directly. Am really glad that you raised this with the school and that the head clearly has a better attitude towards sexism, however, I strongly disagree with going above people's heads as the first port of call for a complaint. People often find it easier to act this way to avoid a direct confrontation, but it's very damaging.

I'm sure you can see what I mean - if a work colleague had a problem with you but went to your manager without trying to resolve the problem with you first, you'd be cheesed off, right? So if that's not what you did, then great.

Let's hope this silly teacher changes her attitude sharpish.

madwomanintheattic · 08/02/2010 15:07
GrimmaTheNome · 08/02/2010 15:08

Blimey. I'm another one who never bought this 'girls aren't good at maths' crap. There were only two of us doing the double Pure+Applied maths A levels (and I was the only girl doing Physics and the only girl in my Chemistry set) but no-one dared to say that we shouldn't be there because we consistently beat the boys.

I'm glad to say my DD seems to be following my path - she was delighted (though not suprised) to be picked for a Maths Challenge event this year (along with 3 boys). Now she's in year 6, the school wisely has one of the year 6 teachers doing all the English for both classes, and the other does all the Maths... she's a mathematician. So the crap is neatly avoided.

Glad your DD has been bucked up by the support of all the many mathematical MNers!

Kewcumber · 08/02/2010 15:18

[rare speechless emoticon] swiftly followed by [finance director emoticon]

I have loads of staff (including men) say to me wistfully "oh you are so good with numbers".

[smug emoticon]

mathanxiety · 08/02/2010 15:41

Caz10 -- I think you are absolutely right about the advantages and the insight you bring to a classroom.

Keepo I am puzzled that the ht knew about this teacher's need for a major attitude adjustment already. If I were you I would ask for some follow-up along the lines of details of when the teacher will be going for retraining, or evidence of some sort of plan that the teacher has agreed to wrt her attitude. If her views don't represent the school's views, and this was known before, how come she is still doing it?

choccyp1g · 08/02/2010 15:57

Bump to get it next to Hetty and Henry

Chaotica · 08/02/2010 16:01

I just discovered this thread (late) but I just wanted to add and some support for your daughter . (Another mathematical/logical professional woman here...)

EffiePerine · 08/02/2010 16:09

Ronshar geeks inherit the world, dontcha know? Your DD's classmates are just jealous that she is brighter than they are. She will be the one laughing later on...

Takver · 08/02/2010 18:02

Keepo, good on your dd for being determined to prove her wrong. I know its not helpful overall, but you might find that it gives her that extra 'push' being able to show that her teacher is wrong.

(Ex primary school chess team captain here - after being told by headmaster that 'girls aren't good at chess'. . . bloody mindedness rocks!)

senua · 08/02/2010 18:04

Well done Keepo. I hope that your efforts create a change this woman's attitude.
Have you thought of having a little chat with some bolshy parent of a Y5 so that the pressure is kept up next year?

Original poster
Keepo · 08/02/2010 18:14

I am hoping that we will bring about a change in her attitude. Luckily dd comes from a long line of Geek girls who have been good at maths and science and has all of us to back her up. I do feel sorry for girls that don't and absorb this attitude along the way.

DD was just watching disney channel and one of the girls on there told a boy off for talking about maths and confusing the girls [angy] ! Obviously this attitude is still out there despite so many of us not thinking like that.

Thanks so much to all of you for your stories they will make a huge difference to dd

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Original poster
Keepo · 08/02/2010 18:15

oh - messed up my

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mathanxiety · 08/02/2010 18:44

Steer clear of Disney channel at all costs. It has a corrosive effect on impressionable minds. Seriously.

Original poster
Keepo · 08/02/2010 18:50

I agree, we have only recently discovered it and I think it might have to dissapear, what a load of rot !

interesting name mathanxiety

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thumbwitch · 08/02/2010 19:15

God I am so glad I went to a girls' school - that way I could get on with being a geeky double maths and chemistry A level student without any inane input like this! Catch anyone trying to tell me that girls aren't good at maths/science etc - they'd soon find out!

Keepo, glad it's working out, hope the teacher makes it into the 21st Century at some point (perhaps you could check whether or not she knows which century it is?)

Strix · 08/02/2010 19:32

I see they have changed the title in "discussions of the Day" to "Girls and Math..." from "Girls can't..."

SpeedyGonzalez · 08/02/2010 20:07

shock at Disney Channel! I used to work in TV and would never have allowed something like that to be aired (I'd have bleeped it out with birdsong, Big Bro style ). Keepo, I can see you starting a new line in Maths Complaints Letters...I'll be behind you all the way!

stealthsquiggle · 08/02/2010 20:18

Clearly attitude is wrong but FWIW it might do her a lot of good in the longer run - proving my stupid headmistress wrong is largely why I did well at A Levels and got into Oxford - she said (told my parents) I couldn't do it (and it wasn't reverse psychology - she genuinely didn't think I could) and I loathed her so much I was determined to prove her wrong.

Mind you, I think she might have had a hint as to where I got it from - she told my parents I was stubborn and opinionated and my DM's response was "and this ia a bad thing because....?"

MarmMummy · 08/02/2010 21:07

(background - I'm a Head)

keepo - when a Head tells you to come back if you continue to have concerns that normally means they are having to present governors/LEA with enough evidence to get rid of the teacher.

If its all been verbal a follow up letter thanking the Head for their time and outlining and summarising the concerns may be helpful.

herethereandeverywhere · 08/02/2010 23:31

I'm another one to echo the sentiment that this (with your great support) could be the making of her. Proving the doubters and the critics wrong is a powerful motivator (and when you do the success is extra sweet !)

I was constantly told by my v.old-fashioned (male) maths teacher how difficult it would be for me to get an A in GCSE maths compared to the natural mathematicians in the class (all boys.) Was the only girl in my year to get an A!

[Was also told by a careers officer (at 15yo) I shouldn't pursue a career in law as my parents were too poor and was widely derided by my peers for being a "swot". Have been practising corporate law as a City solicitor for 10 years now and not a day goes by without that warm fuzz of satisfaction that I proved them all wrong. .]

The world is your daughter's oyster, she's lucky to have a mum who will be such a support in helping her to achieve her potential.

Original poster
Keepo · 09/02/2010 09:09

Marm - I will put it in writing thank you for that tip

look what I found everyone its a bit american but good :

www.girlstart.org/

I would like to start a uk version.

I am still passing all your stories on dd thanks so much.

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Original poster
Keepo · 09/02/2010 09:11

Speedy I couldn't open your link. I am going to email Disney today. I am greatly dissapointed they have put so much effort into the strong woman theme in the Princess and the Frog so i was genuinely surprised.

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Original poster
Keepo · 09/02/2010 09:51

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTv2jX-qMds&feature=related not the one she saw and at least there is one girl with a brain. The maths teacher is called Miss Bitterman !

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